AN award-winning charity which encourages people to write letters to friends and family who are suffering from cancer as a way to keep a connection when people feel most disconnected, held its latest letter-writing workshop at Farnham Pottery earlier this month.

‘From Me to You’, set up by friends Alison Hitchcock and cancer survivor Brian Greenley, run workshops, speak at events and their website hosts writing tips and inspirational stories from both those writing and receiving letters.

Shortly after Brian was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2010, he was introduced to Alison who surprised herself by offering to write to him throughout his treatment even though she had only just met him.

The 100-plus letters she wrote to him changed both of their lives and led to the creation of From Me to You, which has also recently expanded to Donate A Letter where people write anonymous letters of support to cancer patients in hospitals.

Thirteen people attended the workshop at Farnham Pottery on November 16. They heard what motivated Alison and Brian set up the charity, overcame obstacles to writing and all left having written a letter or postcard. 

“People are shy and often embarrassed about writing letters to someone with cancer,” says Alison.

“We aim to show them not only the huge difference that receiving a letter can make to the patient but also how to overcome the fear of not knowing what to say.

“People come out of our workshops with a completely new way of approaching the issue.”